The dangling cords of window blinds present a significant safety hazard around young children. In recent years, a number of strangulation deaths have occurred when young children have become entangled in cords dangling from window blinds. Window blinds, and in particular horizontal slat venetian blinds, are typically provided with dangling cords that may in some cases reach the floor. A venetian blind is typically provided with two or four slat-elevating cords (that may comprise one or more loops or free-ended cord knotted or otherwise joined at their ends) that are drawn downwardly to elevate the slats. The cords are drawn downwardly by the same distance as the slats are elevated. As a result, when the slats are fully elevated, the cords may dangle a considerable extent.
Various solutions have been proposed to address this problem. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,279,473 (Rozon) and co-pending application Ser. No. 08/022,891 represent solutions devised by the present inventor to take up window blind cords with a spring-driven spool device.
Any such device faces several requirements. First and foremost, it must effectively retract the cords out of harm's way and be simple to operate and install. Second, in order to present a pleasing appearance, it must be relatively compact. Third, it must be simple, in order to reduce costs.